Chapter 186

Chapter 186: Inviting Young Master to the Northern Sea for a Visit (4000 words, two-in-one)

Mo Zhu’er and Ming simultaneously threw their sharpened sticks.

The sharp sticks flew like blades, piercing deeply into the night.

“What’s got you two so tense?”

Then, from outside the cave entrance, came the voices of two women.

As the two women entered, they held the bamboo skewers that Ming and Mo Zhu’er had thrown.

Upon seeing these two women, both Ming and Mo Zhu’er furrowed their brows.

The two women wore long skirts, one in green and one in white. They bore an eight or nine-tenths resemblance in appearance, with identical figures, looking incredibly alluring.

Although these women weren’t as beautiful as Qingwan or Mo Zhu’er, they were still attractive. Especially standing together as sisters, they had a certain added charm.

A mountain breeze blew past them, and Ming wasn’t sure if it was his imagination.

From them, he could detect a scent of seawater.

“May I ask what business the two young ladies have?”

In this desolate wilderness, plus the fact that two young women had come here, it was clear they were no ordinary individuals.

And who knew, they might be here for him.

“May I inquire if you are Xu Ming?” Ruolan dropped the bamboo skewer she had caught onto the ground and smiled at Ming.

Mo Zhu’er gave Ming a puzzled look, her eyes seemingly saying, “Is this your little lover chasing after you?”

Ming nodded, “That’s me. May I ask who you are?”

“We’ve met, Young Master Xu.” Ruolan bowed slightly. “Our Majesty wishes to invite Young Master Xu for a visit. Would you honor us with your presence?”

“Majesty?” Ming asked curiously. “Who is your Majesty?”

“The Dragon Empress of the Northern Sea.” Ruolan said directly, without any concealment.

“I don’t know why the Dragon Empress seeks me out; I’ve never had any dealings with the Northern Sea.”

Ming’s doubts grew even more.

The Northern Sea was over a million miles away, a long journey requiring inter-provincial flying boats or using rare materials to breach the void for faster travel.

He had no significant connections with the Dragon Empress of the Northern Sea, so why would she seek him out?

“Hey, sister, this Xu Ming is being overly wordy. We should just knock him out and take him back. Why waste time talking to him?” Ruoye couldn’t wait anymore.

She wasn’t accustomed to the land, feeling her dry skin worsening. She only wanted to return to the sea quickly.

Every second spent on land felt like torture to Ruoye.

“If you continue to be so rude, I’ll have to punish you!” Ruolan scolded her younger sister.

Ruoye opened her mouth to say something but closed it tightly, huffed, and turned her head.

“In truth, we also don’t know why our Majesty invites you to the Northern Sea. We are merely following orders.” Ruolan smiled at Ming. “But please rest assured, our Majesty has never harmed innocents nor been a tyrant. You will not be harmed.”

“It’s an honor to visit the Northern Sea and meet the legendary First Dragon Empress of the ages, but I apologize. The Northern Sea is far away, and I have many things to do. I may not be able to go there soon. If there’s an opportunity in the future, I, Xu, will certainly make an official apology.”

Xu Ming declined politely.

What kind of joke is this? Just because you say it’s safe doesn’t mean it is.

This ancient Dragon Empress has lived for so many years; who knows what kind of temperament she has?

I might die in the Northern Sea without even knowing how.

Upon hearing Xu Ming’s polite refusal, Ruolan frowned slightly. “Young Master, this matter is rather urgent. We hope you can go immediately. Please forgive us.”

“Will the Northern Sea force someone to be a guest if they refuse?” Xu Ming chuckled.

Ruolan nodded. “If it’s absolutely necessary.”

Xu Ming: “…”

Inside the mountain cave, the two sides were at a standstill.

At the next moment, Ruoye transformed into a streak of light, passing by Ruolan, gripping a pearl sword and thrusting it toward Xu Ming.

“Hooowwwlll!” Shen snarled, wanting to lunge forward to bite, but Xu Ming restrained her.

Xu Ming stepped forward, sidestepped, and seized the incoming sword. Simultaneously, Xu Ming’s left hand lightly lifted her wrist, applying force to Ruoye’s sword-holding wrist.

Ruoye’s left hand hurt, reflexively loosening her grip, causing the sword to fall.

Xu Ming slapped his palm towards the handle of the pearl sword, embedding it into the rock wall. Taking advantage of the situation, Xu Ming delivered a punch to Ruoye’s chest, sending her flying backward. Her embroidered shoes scraped a long trail on the ground before finally landing beside her sister.

Ruoye, dissatisfied, wanted to move forward again but was held back by her sister Ruolan.

“Sister! It was my oversight; I must capture him!” Ruoye said coldly, clearly having summoned her True Qi.

Ruolan shook her head and stepped forward.

“Young Master is truly formidable,” Ruolan praised.

Her younger sister was at the Dragon Gate Realm, and judging from the Martial True Qi Xu Ming emitted earlier, he should only be at the Heroic Soul Realm.

Even in close combat, her sister followed the path of a Sword Cultivator, possessing a strong physique, yet seemed powerless against him.

Just now, Xu Ming obviously held back his punch.

Otherwise, Ruolan felt that if struck fully by that punch, one would either die or suffer severe damage.

“Alright,” Xu Ming stood still. “Why don’t both of you girls come at me then? A single Dragon Gate Realm isn’t enough.”

“Since Young Master insists, then we shall offend.” Ruolan nodded. “We hope you won’t complain to our Majesty later.”

At the same instant Ruolan’s voice faded, nine water columns emerged from somewhere and crashed toward Xu Ming.

Xu Ming drew the Nine Heavens Cloud Lightning Sword and slashed through the water columns, splitting them instantly with his Sword Qi.

“How is he also a Sword Cultivator?” Ruolan was astonished internally.

The next moment, Xu Ming pointed his sword tip, and the water columns instantly froze, forming icicles hanging in the mountain cave.

Xu Ming swung his sword, directing the Sword Qi toward Ruolan. Ruolan frowned, waved her sleeve, and dispersed the Sword Qi, but her sleeve was torn open.

“Such a fierce Sword Qi. Is he really only at the Cavern Realm?”

Ruolan began to doubt Xu Ming.

Judging by his True Qi, his Martial Artist level was clearly at the Heroic Soul Realm.

Judging by his Spiritual Energy, his Cultivator level was clearly at the Cavern Realm.

Yet, he surpassed both the Heroic Soul and Cavern Realms significantly!

Such a cultivator was unprecedented for Ruolan.

Both Ruolan and Ruoye attacked together. Ruoye engaged in close combat as a Sword Cultivator while Ruolan unleashed various spells to strike Xu Ming. Each swing of Ruoye’s pearl sword carried blue ocean wave patterns, looking very splendid.

It seemed Ruoye was putting extra effort to avenge the previous punch.

That girl seemed somewhat immature, always shouting out her sword techniques before executing them.

“Qinghai Sword Technique — Water Melody Prelude!”

Ruoye’s sword blade flipped, enveloped by a misty aura, and struck down like surging waves.

Xu Ming only knew one sword technique — Ice-Yang Sword Technique.

However, the Ice-Yang Sword Technique was actually a basic sword incantation.

In other words, there were no specific moves, so Xu Ming relied solely on Sword Qi and Sword Intent.

Right now, Xu Ming had a sudden realization. He felt that this grand and expansive move from the Qinghai Sword Technique suited him well and seemed quite fitting.

Xu Ming activated the Dao Pattern Eye.

The Dao Pattern Eye could not only clearly see the flow of the opponent’s Spiritual Energy and Martial True Qi, providing a comprehensive view, but it could also replicate the opponent’s spells.

Instantly, the Qinghai Sword Technique — Water Melody Prelude was broken down into slow-motion actions.

Before Xu Ming’s eyes, it was as if tiny figures continuously practiced this move.

The subtleties of the move, the use of Sword Qi, and the degree of Sword Intent were imprinted into Xu Ming’s mind in an instant.

Xu Ming similarly flipped his sword blade, forming wave-like Sword Qi covering his longsword.

“How is this possible?!”

Both Ruolan and Ruoye were shocked. What was going on with Xu Ming?

Although the Qinghai Sword Technique wasn’t a celestial-level technique, it was one of the secret methods of the Northern Sea’s Qinghai Sword Sect, not meant to be transmitted externally.

How did Xu Ming know it?

Moreover, when Xu Ming used this sword technique, it seemed even more magnificent than Ruoye’s!

Xu Ming swung his sword upward, raising a towering wave that surged upward, colliding with Ruoye’s massive wave of Sword Qi.

Ruolan sensed trouble, quickly chanting a spell. Ruoye’s sword was enchanted by Ruolan, glowing brilliantly.

Ruoye’s Sword Qi greatly increased.

“Boom!”

With a loud explosion.

When the two streams of Sword Qi disappeared within the mountain cave,

Ruolan and Ruoye were simultaneously sent flying out of the cave, falling to the ground.

Xu Ming, holding his sword, slowly stepped forward: “You two should leave first. As a civil and military minister of Wu Kingdom, I cannot arbitrarily act as an envoy to another nation and meet with foreign monarchs. If the Dragon Empress truly wishes for me to come, please officially inform Wu Kingdom. If our Wu Kingdom Majesty agrees, I, Xu Ming, will certainly follow orders and act as an envoy.”

Xu Ming didn’t deliver a killing blow.

After all, from beginning to end, the Ruolan and Ruoye sisters showed no intention to kill him. They probably just wanted to knock him unconscious and carry him away.

Since that was the case, there was no need for Xu Ming to deliver a fatal blow.

Xu Ming wasn’t a reckless youth.

Killing their underlings wouldn’t bring any benefits.

Later, if nothing happened and he killed their subordinates, it would be like slapping their face. If the Dragon Empress of the Northern Sea suddenly became enraged and relentlessly pursued him, it would be quite troublesome.

By pushing the matter of “going to the Northern Sea” to the higher-ups of Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming indicated “I’m not refusing, it’s just inappropriate according to protocol,” which was also a form of self-protection.

When he acted as an official envoy to the Northern Sea,

If anything went wrong, it would become a matter between nations.

He wouldn’t “meet with an accident,” otherwise the Northern Sea wouldn’t have a good explanation to give to Wu Kingdom.

Ruolan and Ruoye got up from the ground.

Ruoye, feeling不服气 (unwilling to accept defeat), wanted to charge forward again but was stopped by her sister Ruolan.

“Young Master makes a valid point. Looking at it this way, it seems we were the ones who were impolite.” Ruolan bowed. “We will convey Young Master’s words to our Majesty. When the time comes, we will welcome you in the Northern Sea.”

“Thank you for your trouble.” Xu Ming bowed in return. “Please walk carefully. I won’t escort you. Or would you two like to come inside and eat some roasted empty meat?”

“Young Master is too kind. There’s no need for the trouble. We’ll take our leave.” Ruolan smiled.

“Sister!!!” Ruoye was still unwilling.

“We’re leaving.”

Ruolan ignored her dim-witted younger sister, grabbed her hand, and turned around to leave directly.

After the two had walked far away, Ruoye angrily shook off her sister’s hand: “Sister! That Xu Ming does have some skills, but with the lifebound artifacts granted by our Majesty, we can still capture him. How can we let him go just like that?”

Ruolan shook her head: “Do you remember what our Majesty said before we left the Northern Sea?”

Ruolan turned her head: “Of course, I haven’t forgotten. Our Majesty told us to avoid offending the other party as much as possible and not to make them dislike us. If they really don’t want to come, then use that artifact to bind them and bring them back.”

“That’s exactly it.”

Ruolan’s lips curled into a smile.

“In reality, this Young Master Xu isn’t rejecting coming to the Northern Sea; he’s just afraid we might harm him.

Once we return, we’ll truthfully report to our Majesty. Naturally, our Majesty will send a letter, asking Xu Ming to act as an envoy to the Northern Sea. Facing our Northern Sea’s invitation, Wu Kingdom will be unable to refuse.

Compared to forcibly bringing him here, isn’t it better to invite him peacefully? Besides, didn’t you notice?

Xu Ming must have suffered considerable injuries. Toward the end, his True Qi and Spiritual Energy were like taut bowstrings, ready to snap at any moment.

If he fights to the death with us and something happens to him, how will we explain it to our Majesty?”

After being analyzed by her sister, Ruoye’s anger subsided a bit: “So Sister, what should we do now?”

“Let’s go.” Ruolan walked down the mountain. “We should go as envoys to Wu Kingdom.”

“Pfft!”

After Ruoye and Ruolan left,

Xu Ming couldn’t hold back anymore and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Shen was startled and quickly ran to Xu Ming’s side, pulling on his clothes: “Awooo awooo…”

“I’m fine.” Xu Ming smiled and patted Shen’s head.

“Not fine?” Mo Zhu’er leaned against the side of the mountain cave, making sarcastic remarks, “It’s just that those two sisters held back. Otherwise, if they continued fighting, the clash of your True Qi and Spiritual Energy would destroy your meridians and spirit channels, leaving you a cripple for life.”

Xu Ming wiped his mouth and laughed, “If I die, Miss Mo won’t survive either. Besides, I’m not dead, am I? Comparatively speaking, in the worst-case scenario, I can abandon my Martial Artist level or my Qi Practitioner cultivation, but Miss Mo would lose her life.”

“You!!!” Mo Zhu’er’s chest heaved dramatically, her skirt fluttering, her tone extremely irked, “Come inside with me!”